Leaders of Gabriel Brothers Inc. — the discount retail chain also known as Gabe’s — met with Clark County and Springfield officials on Tuesday during the grand opening celebration of the 1801 Prime Parkway site, which had its soft-opening in the fall.
The Springfield expansion was announced by business leaders – who promoted the new facility as a major step in the company’s growth – in October 2021 by general contractor Brinkmann Constructors.
Mike McDorman, the president and CEO of the Greater Springfield Partnership, said the vision for the Prime Ohio II industrial park has been completed with the addition of the distribution center, calling the center an “accomplishment some believed could never be realized” and a continuation of “incredible momentum” for the city.
We are live at Gabe’s grand opening!!
Posted by The Greater Springfield Partnership on Tuesday, April 4, 2023
The new facility is larger than the company’s five other distribution centers combined, and it’s the largest building located within Springfield’s corporate boundaries. The 870,000 square-foot facility contains nearly six miles of conveyor belts and was made with 32,000 cubic yards of concrete and 33,000 tons of asphalt.
Mazzola said his team first chose the Springfield area not only for its proximity to major highways, but also for its workforce, describing the area as a “dream come true.”
The company “did not have a problem” with hiring the first 250 positions to the Springfield location. Gabe’s and other retailers have experienced challenges hiring at store locations, however.
“We have a workforce that’s hungry for opportunity,” said Horton Hobbs, Greater Springfield Partnership vice president of economic development.
Over the next five years, the company will ramp up to between 800 and 1,000 jobs in Springfield through the expansion of its other store locations to create more opportunity at the distribution center, which now feeds stores in 15 states.
The company has also voiced interest in adding a retail location to the Springfield area and is working with city officials to identify possible locations, according to Mazzola.
The project has been awarded both state and local economic incentives. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved a 1.488%, 10-year job creation tax credit in May 2022 for the Gabe’s project.
The city of Springfield has approved two agreements with Gabe’s, including a 100% tax abatement for 15 years regarding the property. The same agreement was approved by the Clark-Shawnee Local Board of Education in August 2021.
Springfield city commissioners also approved an Employment Incentive Agreement in fall 2021 with Gabe’s that will provide an annual 30% return to the company, depending on the amount of new income tax generated by jobs created at the facility each year over a five-year period.
Gabe’s currently has around 20 retail stores in Ohio, a presence which played a part in the chain selecting Springfield as the location of its new distribution center. The retailer’s closest location to Springfield is on North Fairfield Road in Beavercreek, and another location is slated to open in Lima in the coming weeks, according to the company.
About the Author
